Split handle for aircraft door

ABSTRACT

A handle for use in operating a door of an aircraft. The handle is fixed to a shaft and rotates the shaft about an axis. The handle includes multiple separately movable sections, the sections arranged so that each section has a limited range of movement separate from the other. The handle is capable of operating the door when the sections are moved substantially in unison. The handle also provides positive actuation of movable door components.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a handle for an aircraftexternal door, and more particularly to a handle that controls latchingand locking mechanisms for such a door, and which has a safety mechanismto prevent the door from being opened inadvertently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide an external door for accessing the interior of anaircraft fuselage, particularly for loading and unloading the cargo areaof the aircraft. Some of these doors incorporate vents to equalize airpressure across the door before opening. Often, these vents arepassively actuated by a spring, and therefore can malfunction due toicing or other adverse conditions. Other doors do not feature vents,creating a potentially dangerous situation in which a pressuredifferential exists across the door when it is opened. This pressuredifferential can cause the door to open suddenly and uncontrollably,creating a risk of injury or death to an operator. Also, many doorsincorporate venting and latching systems that are each operated with adedicated handle, thus requiring two hands, or at least two motions, toopen. Use of separate handles leaves open the possibility that anoperator may fail to secure one or the other in preparation for takeoff.Additionally, the use of separate handles leaves open the possibilitythat one handle may be inadvertently operated, diminishing the securityof the door, and creating a danger that the door may openunintentionally. Still other doors are operable using one handle, butopen via translating-motion, which is suitable for a passenger accesspoint but not desirable for accessing a cargo area.

A need, therefore, exists for an aircraft door handle that providessafeguards against unintended or uncontrolled opening of the door,provides a positive-drive mechanism for controlling the venting ofpressure across the door, ensures the security of the door prior totakeoff, and eases operation of the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention described herein are shown in theattached drawings. It is understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and constructions particularlyshown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of a handle and shaft assembly according toan embodiment of the present invention, shown with the surroundingstructure of the door;

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the assembly of FIG. 1A, showing asection of the handle lifted;

FIG. 2A is an isometric view of the handle and shaft assembly from theopposite side from FIG. 1A, shown with the surrounding structure of thedoor;

FIG. 2B is an isometric view of the assembly of FIG. 2A, showing asection of the handle lifted;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of a component of the assembly ofFIGS. 1A and 1B, showing the component engaged with the door lock;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a component of the assembly ofFIGS. 1A and 1B, showing the component engaged with the door lock;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the assembly of FIG. 2A, shown with lesssurrounding structure;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the assembly of FIG. 2A in isolation;

FIG. 8A is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 8B is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8C is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 8A, seen along lines8C-8C;

FIG. 8D is a side view of a component of the shaft assembly of FIG. 8A,seen along lines 8D-8D;

FIG. 8E is a side view of a component of the shaft assembly of FIG. 8A,seen along lines 8E-8E;

FIG. 8F is a side view of a component of the shaft assembly of FIG. 8A,seen along lines 8F-8F;

FIG. 8G is a side view of a component of the shaft assembly of FIG. 8A,seen along lines 8G-8G; and

FIG. 8H is a side view of a component of the shaft assembly of FIG. 8A,seen along lines 8H-8H.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The exemplary embodiments of the invention described herein relate to ahandle assembly for operating an aircraft door. The handle includesmultiple separately-movable sections, and is attached to a shaft. Thehandle sections or shaft may also be attached to one or more actuatorsthat drive at least one movable component of the door. In the example,the shaft includes one or more lock arms and one or more latchingmechanisms attached to the shaft. A section of the handle is linked topivoting locks mounted on the door and disposed to engage the lock arms.In the example, the handle includes multiple sections that may be movedtogether or independently, including a lower locking section and anupper latching or actuating section. The latching or actuating sectionof the handle is fixed to the shaft, while the locking section is linkedto the pivoting locks on the door. Also in the example, the actuatorscan be sector gears fixed to the sections of the handle, and the gearscan drive the vent door actuating mechanisms.

The shaft in this example is rotated by the handle's movement in avertically-oriented arc. In a closed position in which the door islatched and locked, the latching mechanisms are engaged with thestructure of the aircraft, preventing the door from opening. Also, thedoor locks are each aligned with the path of travel of a lock arm, andthe actuators are not engaged with the vent door actuators. An operatoropens the door by grasping both sections of the handle and pullingupwards in a vertical direction. As the handle is moved, linkagesconnected to the handle's locking section pivot the door locks into adisengaged position, allowing the shaft to rotate. As the shaft rotates,the actuators engage the vent door actuators, the latching mechanismsare disengaged from the aircraft structure, and the door is able to beopened. In the example, if only the latching section is rotated, thedoor locks will interfere with the rotation of the lock arms on theshaft as the shaft begins to rotate. By contrast, if both sections ofthe handle are rotated together, the movement of the locking sectionwill cause the door locks to move into disengaged positions in whichthey will not interfere with the motion of the lock arms.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate several preferredembodiments of the invention, a latching/locking apparatus is shown foran aircraft door.

FIGS. 1A and 2A show the assembly 10 with the handle 12 in a closedposition. Handle 12 includes locking section 14 and latching oractuating section 16. The assembly 10 is shown connected to the aircraftdoor 15, but the structure of the aircraft surrounding the door is notshown. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the structureemployed to support and engage the door and its associated latchingmechanisms. Visible in these figures is main shaft 20, running the widthof the door 15. As shown in FIG. 7, fixedly mounted on the ends of mainshaft 20 are latching arms 22 a and 22 b, each including a correspondingroller 24 a or 24 b (shown in FIGS. 4, 8A, 8C, and 8H). Also mounted tomain shaft 20 are lock arms 30 a and 32 a (see FIGS. 8D and 8G), whichcorrespond to pivoting door locks 30 and 32, respectively. As shown inFIGS. 7, 8B, 8E, and 8F, sector gears 26 and 28 are attached to sectionsof the handle 12; in the example, gear 26 is fixed to locking section14, and gear 28 is fixed to actuating section 16, which is in turn fixedto the main shaft 20.

When handle 12 is in a closed position as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A,locks 30 and 32 are aligned with lock arms 30 a and 32, respectively,and should shaft 20 rotate through a specified range, lock arms 30 a and32 a will engage the lock arms by interfering with the arms' path ofmotion. When locking section 14 is moved, locks 30 and 32 are pivotedinto non-engagement positions.

When an operator desires to open the door, the operator pulls upward onhandle 12, thus moving both sections 14 and 16 of the handle together orsubstantially in unison. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 2A, 5, and 6, the motionof locking section 14 is transferred by crank arm 34 (also shown inFIGS. 7 and 8C) to connecting rod 36, which itself connects to bellcrank 38. As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, bell crank 38 is rigidly fixed tolock shaft 40. As locking section 14 is moved, lock shaft 40 rotates,turning bell cranks 42 and 43, located near opposite ends of lock shaft40. Bell cranks 42 and 43 are pivotally connected to rods 44 and 45,respectively. Rods 44 and 45 are in turn connected to sliders 46 and 47,which are slideably connected to locks 30 and 32, respectively. Aslocking section 14 moves, sliders 46 and 47 force locks 30 and 32 topivot out of the path of lock arms 30 a and 32 a.

As handle 12 is raised, the motion of handle 12 causes actuators 26 and28 to move. As seen in FIG. 2A, in this example the actuators can besector gears 26 and 28 mounted to sections of the handle 12. However,the actuators may include other types of force-transfer components, suchas mechanical linkages, or solenoids or other electronic signalactuation. As shown in FIGS. 8E and 8F, gear 26 is fixed to lockingsection 14, and gear 28 is fixed to actuating section 16. As the handle12 is moved to a predetermined angle, gears 26 and 28 engagecorresponding vent door gears 26 a (not visible) and 28 a, respectively.The motion of the vent door gears 26 a and 28 a causes the vent door 27to open as the main shaft 20 rotates. Opening the vent door 27 equalizesany pressure differential across the door 15 before the door 15 isdisengaged from the aircraft structure, thus preventing a suddenuncontrolled opening. Also, positive actuation of the vent door 27 alsoprevents malfunction of the vent door due to icing or other adverseconditions by providing an active, rather than passive, opening force,such as a spring. As the operator continues to raise the handle 12, thelatching rollers 24 a and 24 b rotate and lift the door 15, disengagingfrom the aircraft structure and allowing the door 15 to be opened. Asseen in the example depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B, the handle 12may also include additional linkages to further movable components ofthe door 15. It is contemplated that such components may includeadditional locking or latching mechanisms, or other mechanisms necessaryor desirable for safe operation of the aircraft. The presence or absenceof such additional linkages does not affect the operation of theinvention described herein.

In order to secure the door, the operator moves the door into a closedposition and pulls downward on the handle 12, causing shaft 20 torotate. As shaft 20 rotates, latching lollers 24 a and 24 b engage theaircraft structure, pulling door 15 into a closed and latched position.In the example, after rollers 24 a and 24 b engage the aircraftstructure, sector gears 26 and 28 engage door vent door gears 26 a (notshown) and 28 a, and cause the vent door (not shown) to close, thusallowing the aircraft to be pressurized for flight. As the shaft 20continues to rotate, locks 30 and 32 pivot into an engaged position withrespect to lock arms 30 a and 32 a, respectively. When handle 12 isreturned to its fully-lowered position, the door is secured for takeoff.

FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3, and 4 show the operation of the locks when onlyactuating section 16 is moved a predetermined number of degrees ofrotation from locking section 14. In the illustrative example, actuatingsection 16 is moved, while locking section 14 remains stationary. If afailure or disruptive condition such as vibration occurs in the door andcauses the actuating section 16 to rotate, the locks 30 and 32 willprevent the venting or opening of the door, because the vent and locksare operated by the motion of the locking section 14. In the example,actuating section 16 is capable of a small amount of movement before thegears 26 and 28 engage their complementary door components 26 a (notshown) and 28 a, shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. While the example preferablylimits actuating section 16's separate rotation to approximately 20degrees, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that aparticular range of motion is not a limitation on the invention. Asactuating section 16 moves, main shaft 20 begins to rotate. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, lock arms 30 a and 32 a engage locks 30 and 32,respectively, once shaft 20 rotates through a certain range. Locks 30and 32 engage arms 30 a and 32 a because locking section 14 has notmoved; thus, locks 30 and 32 have not been pivoted out of the path ofarms 30 a and 32 a. Therefore, main shaft 20 is prevented from rotatingany further, and latching arms 22 a and 22 b are prevented from movingrollers 24 a and 24 b out of engagement with the aircraft structure. Asa result, the door cannot be opened. Also, as seen in FIGS. 1B and 2B,if locking section 14 is not moved with actuating section 16, the ventdoor 27 of the example cannot be opened, for two reasons. First, thelocks 30 and 32 prevent rotation of the main shaft and engagement androtation of the vent door gears 26 a and 28 a by sector gears 26 and 28.Second, because sector gear 26 and sector gear 28 are mounted todifferent sections of the handle 12, the vent door 27 cannot be openedunless both gear sets are engaged, which can require movement of bothhandle sections.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the configuration of thepresent invention without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention. It is intended that the present invention cover suchmodifications and variations provided they come within the scope of theappended claims or their equivalents.

1. A handle assembly for operating a door, comprising: first and secondhandle sections, movable independently of each other, and coupled to ashaft which is configured to rotate to facilitate unlocking and lockingof the door; and a locking mechanism, configured to prevent rotation ofthe shaft when the first handle section moves a predetermined distancewith respect to the second handle section, to prevent unlocking of thedoor.
 2. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein: the first and secondhandle sections are rotatable about an axis; and the locking mechanismprevents rotation of the shaft when the first handle section rotatesabout the axis by a predetermined amount with respect to the secondhandle section.
 3. The handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the axis isthe axis of the shaft.
 4. The handle assembly of claim 2, wherein; thefirst and second handle sections are rotated about the axis in a firstdirection of rotation to unlock the door and a second direction ofrotation to lock the door.
 5. The handle assembly of claim 4, wherein:the first and second handle sections are rotated substantially in unisonin the first direction of rotation to unlock the door.
 6. The handleassembly of claim 1, wherein: the first and second handle sections areconfigured to rotate the shaft; and the locking mechanism is configuredto prevent further rotation of the shaft when the first handle sectionrotates the shaft by a predetermined angle with respect to a position ofthe second handle section.
 7. The handle assembly of claim 6, whereinthe locking mechanism is movable between an interference position wherethe locking mechanism engages to prevent the first handle section fromfurther rotating the shaft and a non-interference position where thelocking mechanism permits the first handle section to further rotate theshaft.
 8. The handle assembly of claim 7, wherein rotation of the secondhandle section moves the locking mechanism between the interference andnon-interference positions.
 9. The handle assembly of claim 8, whereinthe locking mechanism is coupled to the second handle section via amechanical linkage.
 10. The handle assembly of claim 9, wherein themechanical linkage includes a series of bell cranks and connecting rods.11. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanismincludes at least one arm mounted to the shaft.
 12. The handle assemblyof claim 1, wherein the assembly includes at least one actuator adaptedto engage at least one movable component of the door.
 13. The handleassembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator includes asector gear mounted to a section of the handle.
 14. The handle assemblyof claim 12, wherein the at least one actuator includes a sector gearmounted to the shaft.
 15. A method for using a handle assembly tooperate a door, the handle assembly comprising first and second handlesections, movable independently of each other, and coupled to a shaftthat is configured to rotate to facilitate unlocking and locking of thedoor, the method comprising: moving the first and second handle sectionssubstantially in unison in a first direction to rotate the shaft in afirst rotational direction to facilitate unlocking of the door and in asecond direction to rotate the shaft in a second rotational direction tofacilitate locking of the door; and operating a locking mechanism toprevent further rotation of the shaft in the first rotational directionwhen the first handle section moves a predetermined distance withrespect to the second handle section, to prevent unlocking of the door.16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first and second handlesections are rotatable about an axis; and the operating step operatesthe locking mechanism to prevent rotation of the shaft when the firsthandle section rotates about the axis by a predetermined about withrespect to the second handle section.
 17. The method of claim 15,wherein: the rotation of the shaft in the first direction by apredetermined amount causes a latching mechanism to operate to allow thedoor to open, and wherein rotation of the shaft in the second directionby a predetermined amount causes a latching mechanism to operate tosecure the door in a closed position.
 18. The method of claim 15,wherein the movement step further comprises: operating at least oneactuator, the actuator engaging at least one movable component of thedoor when the first and second handle sections are moved substantiallyin unison.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein: the locking mechanismoperating step includes selectably pivoting a lock between aninterference position and a non-interference position with respect to aportion of the shaft.
 20. An aircraft including the handle assembly ofclaim 1.